Bail brace



Oct. 22, 1929. J, G, MUELLER 1,733,099

9 RAIL BRcE Filed June l8, 192e Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES JOHN G. MUELLER, OF DAYTON, OHIO RAIL BRACE Application filed .Tune S,

This invention relates to rail braces and is an extension of the invention set forth in Letters Patent No. 1,353,412, issued to me September 21, 1920.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a rail brace which can be readily adjusted to position the rails to the desired gauge and to positively retain them in fixed lateral relation with each other.

rllhe invention shown and described in said patentdisclosed a. form of rail brace and clamp equally adaptable to the different weights in steel rails and the variation of dimensions in rail joint construction.

The object of the present invention is to provide other constructions for accomplishing the same result which will be efficient,

strong and durable, wherein the upper faces of the rail base are engaged by the binding or wedging blocks forming a part of the rail brace and adapted to be interposed between the clamping members of the brace and the rail.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my invention illustrating the brace as applied to the opposite rails of a track.

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation and sectional view of a modified form of my brace.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, I have shown the usual track arrangement of two parallel rails 1 and 2 with one form of my improved brace applied thereto. A tie rod 3 extends between and underneath the rails and projects beyond the outside of said rails. The ends of the rod 3 are screwthreaded, as at 4, to a point well inside the rails to permit of applying clamping members 5 on both sides of the base flange of each rail.

Coacting with each clamping member 5 is a wedge or binding member 6 having a surface 7 adapted to engage the upper face of the rail base and a downwardly extending portion or heel 7a with a relatively straight edge 8 to engage the edge of the rail base. The clamping member 5 has a groove formed in its inclined surface for the purpose of providing a guidcway 10 to receive the inclined bearing surface 9 of the wedging member 1928. Serial N0. 283,966.

6, whereby as the clamping members are urged by nuts 11 on the tie rod toward the rail the intervening binding or wedging members will be pressed inward against the edge of the rail base and downward on top of the rail base to clamp it. In this way it will be seen that both the clamping members and the wedging members are adjusted simultaneously and the wedging member maintained in its correct relation to the rail and prevented from lateral movement.

The clamping members 5 are provided with apertures 12 to receive the ti'e rod 3, and these apertures are of such size as to provide for adjustmentof the members 5 to adapt 65 the clamp to different weight rails. It will be understood, therefore, that the rail brace and the clamp used in connection therewith may be made in a standard size equally adaptable to all sizes or weights of rails, or, where 7o the braces are used in connection with structures other than track construction the clamps are adaptable to a considerable variation of dimensions of the parts to be clamped.

The relation of the members 5 and 6 when 75 applied to the rails by reason of the coacting angular surfaces 9 and 10 is that of the binding wedge and clamp in their effect upon the ange of the rail, the flange being positively gripped above and below and on the edges thereof when the clamp is drawn to position on the tie rod.

In Figure 1, I have shown the relative position of the clamping members and wedging or binding members when applied to medium S5 weight rails, but it will be understood that when applied to other weight rails the wed ging member will occupy the same relative position to the rail, the clamping members merely being a greater or lesser distance apart.

Referring to vthe modified form of construction shown in Figure 2, clamping members 13 are mounted on a tie rod 14, nuts 15 serving to hold the clamping members in adjusted position. Coacting with the clamping members 13 are wedging or binding members 16 and 17, the binding member 16 serving to engage the upper face of the rail base as also the .web thereof to brace them and having a depending or heel portion 18 with an inner engaging surface 19. The binding member 17 is carried by the tie rod ifi along with the clamping members 13 and has a fiat portion 2O adapted to engage the bottom of the rail base and a. heel portion 2l having a straigl'lt edge 22 adapted to engage the edge of the rail base. Each clamping member i3 has a groove formed in each of its inclined surfaces for the purpose of providing guidewavs and 26 to receive respectively the inclined bearing surface 23 of the wedging member 1G and the inclined bearing surface Q/I of the wedging member i7 so that as the clamping members are urged toward the rail by the nuts l5 the wedging menibers will be forced against the rail to brace it and will be n'iaintained in correct relation to the rail and the clamping members. It will also be observed that the engaging surface 19 of the heel on the wedging member i6 is adapted to contact with the outer surface of the heel 2i on the bindingl member i7, whereby as the clamping members are urged toward the rail the wedgingmember 1G will be pressed .inward and downward and the wedging member i7 inward and upward thereby7 effecting the bracing of the rail iiange above and below and on the edges thereof, as well as the web of the rail.

From the fotepoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a brace adaptable to rails of varying dimensions without any change in construction, which will effectively brace the rails in fixed lateral relation with each other.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within `my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a railroad rail brace, the combination with a threaded tie rod, of clamping members mounted on said rod and adapted to be urged by nuts on the rod toward a rail between them, binding members mounted on said tie rod, each havingla portion `projecting above the top ofthe rail base, and other binding` members located above the tie rod and fitted between said clamping members and the upper face of the rail base and each having a projecting portion fashvioned to fit about theiprojecting portion of the first mentioned binding members, `said clamping members being fashioned to engage the several binding' members to urge them against the top, edges and bottom'of the rail base.

2. In a railroad rail brace, wedge members adapted to engage the underside and edges of a rail base, second wedge members located above the tie rod and adapted to `fit about part of said rst wedge members and engage the top of the base flanges of the rail, and means to force said wedge members into engagement with the rail.

3. In a railroad rail brace, wedge meinbers adapted to engage the underside and edges of a rail base, second wedge members located above the tie rod and adapted to fit about the upper part of said iii-st wedge members and engage said rail, and means to force said wedge members into engagement with the rail.

4. In a railroad rail brace, in combination with a tie rod, wedge members adapted to engage the underside and edges of a rail base, second wedge members located above the tie rod and adapted to lit about the upper part of said first wedge members and engage the rail, and clamp means on said rod adapted to engage said wedge members to hold them in engagement with the rail.

5. In a railroad rail brace, in combination with a tie rod, wedge members on said rod adapted to engage the underside and edges of a rail base, second wedge members located above the tie rod and adapted to tit about part of said first wedge members and engage the rail, and clamp means on said rod adapted to engage said wedge members to hold them in engagement with the rail.

(i. In a railroad rail brace, in combination with a tie rod, wedge members adapted to engage the underside and edges of a rail base, second wedge members located above the tie rod and adapted to t about the upper part of said first wedge members and engage the upper part of the base flange and the web of the rail, clamp means on said rod, and means on said rod to force said clamp means into engagement with said wedge members to grip the rail.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JOHN G. MUELLER. 

